warming up

It's back to the warm temperatures and sunny conditions for the next several days as high pressure re-exerts its presence over Northern California. Temperatures will hover near record territory this week, with low 70s not out of the question for tomorrow and Wednesday. Highs by the end of the week will drop back into the mid 60s, but that is still 8-10 degrees above the average (which is 55 degrees for mid-January, BTW). So, look for chilly, frosty mornings and mild, sunny afternoons through this coming weekend. Here are the specifics for Chico the next seven days from the National Weather Service: Today Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 67. North northwest wind 6 to 9 mph. Tonight Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 33. North wind 3 to 5 mph. Tuesday Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 71. North northwest wind 5 to 7 mph. Tuesday Night Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 32. North wind 3 to 6 mph. Wednesday Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 70. Light north wind. Wednesday Night Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 32. Thursday Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 67. Thursday Night Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 32. Friday Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 66. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. Saturday Partly sunny, with a high near 61. Saturday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 35. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.

back to sunny and warm weather

Well, yesterday was a nice change from all of the sunny and mild weather we've been experiencing. It actually looked and felt like winter in Northern California briefly. However, all Chico got from this storm was a paltry .01"- one one-hundredth of an inch of rain. That's like spitting into a rain bucket! That will be the last bit of rain we will see in quite awhile, as high pressure moves back in to create sunny and very warm conditions. Chico will see temps 10-15 degrees above normal the next several days. Highs are expected to be in the mid 60s to around 70 degrees. With this type of weather, I fear the flowering and fruit trees are going to begin blooming over the next couple of weeks- about a month earlier than usual. We may have an early and short wildflower season, as well. However, if we don't get some significant rain soon, there may not be a wildflower season. Parts of the Sierra Nevada received about 5 inches of snow, but that is miniscule compared to the several feet of snow we should see in mid-January. The native grasses in the foothills should be a deep emerald green by now, but instead are a bland tannish color. This serious situation may become dire very soon, and I'm afraid with climate change this recent weather pattern may become the new normal for us. Could the Breadbasket of America become an arid desert within 150 years? I really hope not. Too soon to tell, anyway. Here is the very dry and warm seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. North northwest wind 5 to 10 mph. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 33. North wind around 8 mph. Monday Sunny, with a high near 67. North northwest wind around 8 mph. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 34. North wind around 7 mph. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 68. North wind around 7 mph. Tuesday Night Clear, with a low around 33. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 67. Wednesday Night Patchy frost after 1am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 32. Thursday Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 65. Thursday Night Patchy frost after 1am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 32. Friday Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 63. Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. Saturday Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.

rain likely tomorrow; mild and dry after

Yesterday the high temperature in Chico was only 58 degrees under mostly cloudy skies. That's the coolest we've been in awhile, as high pressure has dominated our weather. Rain is increasingly likely for tomorrow, as a powerful storm system moves in from the Pacific. Washington and Oregon will feel the brunt of this storm, but rain will extend as far south as Northern California. It may get breezy at times tomorrow, as well, with winds from the south around 15-20 mph. That storm will quickly exit our area by tomorrow night, allowing high pressure to move in and dry us out. This high pressure will cause temperatures to warm back into the middle 60s by early next week. Don't expect a lot of rain with this next storm; generally just a tenth of an inch may fall. A few inches of snow may dust the highest elevations of the Sierra, mainly above 5000 feet. I am fearful this may be a very dry winter/ spring, which follows a previous dry winter/ spring. Not good. Fingers crossed for a wet March through May. Here is Chico's seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. North northeast wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable in the morning. Tonight A 30 percent chance of rain after 4am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 38. Light east southeast wind increasing to 5 to 9 mph in the evening. Saturday Rain likely, mainly between 10am and 4pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 56. South southeast wind around 16 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Saturday Night A 20 percent chance of showers before 10pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. South southwest wind 3 to 7 mph. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. North northwest wind around 7 mph. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 32. Monday Sunny, with a high near 65. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 31. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 66. Tuesday Night Clear, with a low around 31. Wednesday Sunny, with a high near 64. Wednesday Night Patchy frost after 1am. Otherwise, clear, with a low around 32. Thursday Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 66.

cooler with a chance of rain for this weekend

Yesterday was cooler than it has been as there was a mix of sun and clouds. That kept the high at 61 degrees in Chico. It will continue to remain cooler than it has been the next few days as we continue to see a mix of clouds and sun the next few days. This is due to weakening high pressure allowing clouds associated with potent storms affecting the Pacific Northwest to filter our skies. The strongest of these storms may affect us by Saturday as there is a 40 percent chance of rain. That's the highest percentage of precipitation forecasted in quite awhile. By Sunday, sunshine and warmer temperatures return. Here is the detailed seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service: Today Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59. Light and variable wind. Tonight Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Calm wind. Thursday Partly sunny, with a high near 59. Calm wind becoming northwest 5 to 9 mph in the afternoon. Thursday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 33. North wind around 7 mph. Friday Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Calm wind. Friday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Saturday A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. Saturday Night A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 32. Monday Sunny, with a high near 65. Monday Night Clear, with a low around 31. Tuesday Sunny, with a high near 65.

so much for winter

Mother Nature has decided that winter will not happen in California this year. To prove that, Chico saw another very warm day today, with the high temperature at 71 degrees, just two degrees shy of the record high for this date. The Sierra Nevada has almost no snow pack, and the lakes and reservoirs across Northern California are at record low levels. It's becoming a serious situation. No one seems to know when (or if) we'll receive any significant precipitation. We could still conceivably have a wet spring in order to play catch-up. I hope so, because we will have to begin some extremely strict water rationing soon if we don't. Meanwhile, most of the eastern half of the country is experiencing dangerously cold weather and digging out from copious amounts of snow. I guess I shouldn't complain that we are experiencing spring in January! Here is the regional forecast for Chico and the central Sacramento Valley from the National Weather Service: Tonight: Clear...colder. Lows 29 to 41. North winds up to 10 mph. Monday: Partly cloudy in the morning then becoming mostly cloudy. Patchy frost in the morning. Highs around 62. Northwest winds up to 10 mph. Monday Night: Mostly cloudy. Lows 32 to 44. Light winds. Tuesday: Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of rain showers in the afternoon. Highs around 62. Light winds becoming south around 10 mph in the afternoon. Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy. A slight chance of rain showers in the evening. Lows 32 to 44. Southeast winds up to 10 mph shifting to the north after midnight. Wednesday: Mostly cloudy. Highs around 58. Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain showers. Lows 32 to 44. Thursday: Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain. Highs around 58. Thursday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows 33 to 43. Friday And Friday Night: Mostly clear. Highs around 63. Lows 33 to 43. Saturday: Partly cloudy with a slight chance of rain. Highs around 62. Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain. Lows 32 to 42. Sunday: Partly cloudy. Highs around 62.

fingers crossed for some rain next week

Albeit only slight chances. This entrenched pattern of sunny, mild days and clear, chilly nights will hopefully come to an end early next week. We've seen high temps consistently in the mid 60s to lower 70s for the past week (weather more indicative of March than January). Yes, it has been lovely weather for winter, but we need some rain. Desperately. Last year was the driest year on record for California, and we are still in a serious drought. For today and tomorrow, expect continued sunny skies and mild temperatures, with breezy north winds of 15-30 mph. It looks like the weather pattern may shift a bit next week, with high pressure weakening and allowing the jet stream to dive further south. This will steer a couple of weak storms our way. Right now don't expect a deluge of rain; we may be lucky to see a tenth of an inch. Every little drop helps at this point. Also, look for high temperatures to cool and overnight temps to warm by early next week. The increase of clouds allows cooler daytime highs as well as acts as a blanket overnight, insulating the air close to the ground. This causes the overnight temps to not drop as rapidly and as much. I'm hoping this upcoming weather pattern change will allow more rain to come our way. Fingers crossed. Here's Chico's (and the rest of the northern Sacramento Valley's) seven day forecast from the National Weather Service: Today: Patchy frost in the morning. Sunny. Highs 61 to 71. North winds up to 15 mph with gusts to around 30 mph. Tonight: Clear. Lows 30 to 42. North winds 10 to 20 mph with gusts to around 30 mph. Sunday: Patchy frost in the morning. Sunny. Highs 61 to 67. Northwest winds around 10 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph in the morning. Sunday Night: Mostly clear. Lows 31 to 41. North winds around 10 mph. Monday: Mostly cloudy. Highs 59 to 65. North winds around 10 mph in the morning becoming light. Monday Night: Mostly cloudy. Lows 35 to 45. Tuesday: Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain showers. Highs around 58. Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain showers. Lows 33 to 43. Wednesday: Mostly cloudy. Highs around 58. Wednesday Night And Thursday: Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain showers. Lows 34 to 44. Highs around 58. Thursday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows 33 to 43. Friday: Mostly sunny. Highs around 61.

A dry 2013 turns into a dry start to 2014

Happy New Year! I hope everyone has a safe, joyous, and prosperous 2014! Well, it's official: California saw its driest calendar year on record. I honestly don't know how much precipitation Chico ended up with for calendar year 2013, but downtown Sacramento saw less than 7 inches of rain for 2013. I would say Chico saw less than 10 inches for 2013; we normally receive 26 inches. Let's hope 2014 doesn't end up as dry as last year. Unfortunately, we're kicking off 2014 on a dry note, as there is still no rain in the forecast for at least the first seven days of this year. High temperatures will be way above average by as much as 10-15 degrees, bordering on record territory. We should be around 53-54 degrees for early January, but Mother Nature must think it's early March. Highs will be in the low to middle 60s through this coming weekend. A slight pattern shift will result in cooler temps for early next week, but it will remain above seasonal averages. Here is the dry and spring-like seven day forecast for Chico from the National Weather Service: New Year's Day Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 63. Calm wind. Tonight Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 34. Calm wind becoming north northeast around 5 mph after midnight. Thursday Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 66. Light and variable wind. Thursday Night Patchy frost after 4am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Calm wind. Friday Patchy frost before 10am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 65. Calm wind. Friday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 33. Saturday Sunny, with a high near 63. Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 30. Sunday Sunny, with a high near 62. Sunday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 32. Monday Partly sunny, with a high near 60. Monday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Tuesday Partly sunny, with a high near 57.